Safety belt



Patented July 19, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

VERNON P. CHAPPEL, OF IRON MOUNTAIN, MICHIGAN.

SAFETY BELT.

Application filed September 21, 1925.

This invention relates to a new and improved safety belt and more particularly, to a belt adapted to be worn by miners and other persons working in hazardous positions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a belt which is simple in design and construction and which will interfere but little with the activities of the wearer.

It is further object to provide a belt of this character in which the transmission of the weight of the body to the belt is through a broad padded member cushioned to prevent injury.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the belt;

Figure 2 is a front view of the belt, and

Figure 3 is a section taken on lines 33 of Figures 1 and 2.

The belt comprises the body encircling member 11, one end of which carries the buckle 12 adapted to engage the holes 13 in the opposite end. The securing ring 14 is fastened between thicknesses of the rear portion of the belt 11. The belt 11 passes through the straps 15 and 16 and is thereby secured to the protecting pad 17 The outer face of the pad 17 may be formed of leather or other similar material to which is secured a facing 18 of felt or other padding. The shoulder straps 19 and 20 in the form shown are made from a single piece of material, the two straps joining in the back at 21. Below the portion 21, the strap member is split at 22 to permit the passage of securing ring 14 and the end of the member passes under and up inside the belt and is secured to a loop 23 through which the intermediate portion of the strap member passes. The opposite ends of the shoulder straps 19 and 20 are secured by means oi buckles 24 and 25 to the pad 17.

The belt will normally be applied so that the pad extends about the chest of the wearer and the securing ring 14 is located behind'the Serial No. 57,656.

back of the wearer. The weight of the body will be suspended from the ring 14 and the force will be transmitted to the body through the wide pad, which has a broad bearing upon the bony structure of the chest. The shoulder straps 19 and 20 being secured to the pad rather than the belt in front will not transmit any cutting motions to the belt, but any shifting of the belt will be transmitted through the pad. This adds materially golthe comfort of the wearer in using the I have shown one preferred form of belt by way of illustration, but I contemplate such changes and modifications as come within the spirit and scope the accom panying claims.

I claim 1. In a safety belt, a protecting pad, a belt member encircling the pad, means slidably securing the belt to the pad, shoulder '10 straps connected to the belt, and means securing the shoulder straps to the pad.

2. In a safety belt, a protecting pad, a belt member encircling the pad, a portion of the belt being spaced from the pad, a secur- 7 ipg ring fastened to the portion of the belt spaced from the pad, shoulder straps consisting of a single member, having separated portions, the ends of the portions being secured to the pad, the shoulder straps havin a median portion connected to the belt a jacent the securing ring.

3. In a safety belt, a protecting pad, a belt member encircling the pad, a portion of the belt being spaced from the pad, a securing ring fastened to the portion of the belt spaced from the pad, shoulder straps consisting of a single member having separated v portions, the ends of the portions being secured to the pad, the shoulder straps having a median portion connected to the belt adjacent the securing ring, the ring extending through a slit in the median portion of the shoulder strap member.

Signed at Iron Mountain, Michigan, this 14th day of September, 1925.

VERNON P. CHAPPEL. 

